


our little group has always been (and always will until the end)

by justprompts



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, Fluff and Humor, Strangers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:48:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27977610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justprompts/pseuds/justprompts
Summary: Blonde/Black hair - Check.Height - atleast above 5'11 - Check.Body structure, face shape, weight, eye colour, any work experience - Check, check, check.But, Sirius Black's alarm clock ringing on time - nope, not yet.
Relationships: Euphemia Potter/Fleamont Potter, Sirius Black & James Potter
Kudos: 12





	our little group has always been (and always will until the end)

**Author's Note:**

> Sirius and James AU meeting, modern and non-magical, just for fun prompt.
> 
> Feel free to use!!
> 
> Thanks for reading :)

Sirius is late.

He realises it when he swings his apartment door shut frantically, the lobby clock reminds him again - he's super, super late, and if he doesn't get this job, he's going to go into an extremely unhealthy amount of rent debt. He admits to himself that this was his choice, and that he was the one responsible for getting cut off from his family and inheritance - but, honestly he doesn't regret that part even a little. 

They were all fucking assholes.

Especially his stupid, sadistic mother - "Blacks aren't perverted - closeted poofs like you!" - "You think you'll be able to go through an actual university on your own, Sirius, really?" - her derisive laugh still echoes in his ears as he reaffirms that 'yes, he will complete Uni, and not using a penny of their bigoted, racist black wealth' - and that, till he managed to complete his course, he would work weekends, and even some weekdays.

Except for the tiny fact that there aren't many small jobs that pay you for working just saturdays and sundays. 

But last evening, Sirius had spotted a small modelling advert, for the cosmetics and hair brand - Sleakeazy's, and although, Sirius had long stopped using such expensive products, he could model for them. The audition place was nearby, the timings were all perfect - and when they had described the look of the model they preferred, it was like they were asking specifically for Sirius. 

Blonde/Black hair - Check.

Height - atleast above 5'11 - Check.

Body structure, face shape, weight, eye colour, any work experience - Check, check, check.

But, Sirius Black's alarm clock ringing on time - nope, not yet. 

It was pathetic, really. Like the fates had given him a ready made chance and he had completely blown it. He mentally smacked himself for his idiocy as he ran across the street, hoping to catch a cab as quick as possible.

Which was - some force in the universe really loved his goddamn mother - when he heard the distressed, "Come on, Snuffles! Here, Boy!"

It was a guy, around his age, Sirius guessed, hunched over a huge man hole in the road. He winced sympathetically, the guy's dog had definitely fallen - he was bent on his knees, looking into the hole, a hand holding an empty leash absently. 

"Snuffles, jump! Come on, boy, you can do it!" the boy yelled, cupping his hands.

Sirius loved dogs. 

It was first a matter of principle, because his mother hated dogs with a passion - but then, his mother hated everything and everybody - and because, he was extraordinarily good with them and had always wanted one. 

When he said good with dogs, he really meant it. They listened to him, almost instinctively. His old school friend, Remus, used to call him a dog whisperer, and had jokingly named him Padfoot. He literally could be, a Dolittle reincarnate, if the doctor only liked dogs.

A cab screeched to a halt, right in front of him. 

He opened the door, hurriedly - and then, paused - because was he really such an asshole as to leave a dog in such a state? - he was already so late for the modelling gig, and helping the boy take the dog out of the chemically poisonous hole would probably take him five minutes. 

Okay, he could do this. Definitely.

Absolutely.

He yelled at the disgruntled taxi driver to wait for him - "I'll only be a minute!" - and then, ran to the boy and his fallen dog, Snuffles - ridiculous name, by the way - who had stood up now, and was running his hands through his dark hair and cursing under his breath.

"Hey," he called, jogging to the narrow alley. "Need some help?"

The boy turned, with open surprise etched on his face, gesturing towards the dog, "The nearest fire station is atleast a mile, and I forgot my phone at home, anyway. Not much you can help me with, unless you can miraculously get my dog out."

Sirius shot him a small smirk, moving to the edge of the man hole. 

If Sirius melted at the sight if the dog instantly, it was not his fault. 

Snuffles had earned his name, clearly. He was a beagle, a small thing with the cutest eyes possible and soot on his face. Sirius bent, reaching his arms down, as close to it as he could, and slowly started speaking, "Hey, Snuffles, buddy, come on - come closer," mixed with a bunch of, "Who's the best boy?" and, "Your owner is an idiot, isn't he?"

That last one seemed to work particularly well, and Sirius ignored the boy's pointed huff behind him at it. He smiled as Snuffles slowly crawled to the bottom edge, and jumped into his arms - quite a large leap for such a small beagle - but he managed it, and Sirius held him tightly, pulling him up.

The dog's owner looked so completely befuddled, Sirius had to bite his lip to stop a smile escaping. 

"I'm a dog whisperer," he said, his voice low and deliberately cryptic, handing over Snuffles to the boy.

That seemed to confuse him even more, his expression faintly horrified, so he laughed lightly and said, "I'm joking, just always been good with them. I'm Sirius," he added, holding out his hand.

"James," the boy said, smiling slightly, grasping his hand. "Thanks - for er - thank you for taking Snuffles out," he nodded at the dirty, and still unfairly cute dog, waving one of its paws in the air awkwardly. 

Sirius laughed again, glanced at his watch - and swore, god, it had been more than five minutes. 

"No problem," he said, grimacing, even though there really was one. A huge one. "Just a little late," he added, at James's questioning glance.

"Oh," James said, walking alongside Sirius to the main road - where, surprise, surprise, the cab was gone. "Me too, actually. Would have been worse if you didn't get my dog out."

"Its not an issue," he said, distractedly brushing dirt off his shirt, and hailing another cab. "I had a cab waiting for me, but the little idiot took off."

James nodded empathetically, "Where you heading, then? Downtown or - "

"City side," he replied, rushing to a cab that had come. "Job audition, though, I'm horrifically late - but maybe, I can salvage something."

"Mind if I get in with you?" James asked, and Sirius noted with surprise - that he wouldn't mind that at all. "I'm going city side, too."

"Sure," Sirius said, as they both sat down in the cab. 

"Sleakeazy's old stage hall," he added, to the driver - which caused to James to spin his head around towards Sirius so fast, he was sure he heard a crick.

"What?" he asked, brow furrowing quizzically.

"Uh - er - I'm going there, too," James said, finally, his eyes slightly narrowed - and Sirius sighed - because of course, he was already late, so why not help a few job competitors along the way?

"Well," Sirius said, grimacing. "That's kinda awkward. I just saw the ad yesterday, see. Didn't know many people would be there to audition too."

"Oh, quite a few," James said, his voice carefully casual. "Is that what you're late for?"

"Had a late night yesterday," Sirius said, shrugging - and wondering why he was telling a complete stranger this. "And then, of course, my pressing job as a dog whisperer," he petted Snuffles, who obliged by preening, and looked at his wristwatch, "I don't really know why I'm even going at this point. Its eight already, most of the people would be done by now. They probably don't take late comers. I should just go home," he laughed sarcastically, leaning his head on the seat.

"No, don't," James said, abruptly. "I'm sure you have a chance. Try it out, atleast."

"Try it out?" Sirius asked, lolling his head lazily to look at him. "You mean, will the people there, try - me out. And besides, shouldn't you be saying the opposite? Lesser the people, better your chances."

"All in the spirit of competition," James said, laughing - though, it sounded a little fake and nervous to Sirius. He ignored it - it barely mattered to him whether a stranger was acting strange - and looked outside the window and desperately trying to think of another way to complete his rent.

"So, are you like - some budding model, or - you know, just as a partime job?" James asked, hesitantly as Sirius turned to him, again. "I mean - its none of my business, but just curious?"

"Uni tuition fee," Sirius said honestly, it was surprisingly easy to talk to this guy. "Its my last year, and my flatmate just lost his job - he's a mouthy idiot, so, yeah. Just partime."

"Ah," James said, and Sirius appreciated the lack of pity on his face and just a simple thoughtful expression. "Have you ever modelled before, for any advert?"

"What's this, an early interview?" Sirius said, laughing, as James's cheeks colored. "Yeah, sure I have. This could have been my fifth gig, I guess. Its the only one that involves me fully clothed, so, there's that."

James smiled amusedly, opened his mouth to reply, but the cab stopped - and Sirius stared for a moment at the building. It was just so - bright. And welcoming. Not like his usual modelling gigs, which took place in the basements of abandoned storerooms. 

Sirius paid the cab driver, and nodding amicably at James, stepped out.

Somehow, the conversation with James had calmed him down - and he walked into the building, grasping onto whatever amount of hope he had left - he could probably get this job, how hard could it be? - so what if he was around forty five minutes late? 

He pushed open the auditorium door, and strode inside slowly - where everybody was walking off the stage, and the two managers - an elderly couple, by the looks of it - were standing up already. 

"Exits towards the left, everybody," the man was saying, as the twenty or so men climbed down the steps, towards the back door. "We'll get back to you by tonight, and the final shoot will be tomorrow, timings will be given via phone to the person selected. Thank you, everybody, thanks for coming!"

Sirius sighed - god, he was a hopeful idiot and it hurt but, he knew enough about these people to try and ask in vain for an audition, when he had clearly missed it - it would be denied - and walked out, trying to not have a huge panic attack right here - what if he couldn't complete uni because of this one little slip? 

Pull yourself together, Black, he thought, firmly, swallowing a lump in his throat, and trying to keep the disappointment off his face as he made his way back.

(Cab money - wasted.)

He tried not to think too hard over the whole thing, but it was just that he had completely relied on getting this - and he was realising this now. 

There would be other jobs, right? - but the pay here was supposed to really good - he would be able to find another way to -

"Oof," James said, as Sirius walked right into him, he had apparently entered the hall right now and stumbled a step back. "Sorry, I just - "

"No problem, wasn't looking," Sirius said, "They're done, though. The auditions. So, there's no point in - hey!"

Sirius looked at James in surprised indignation, as he grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him back into the auditorium, without a single warning.

"Hey, wait!" James yelled, like this was his bloody house, and the elderly couple turned to look at them, eyebrows rising. "Give him a try, too!"

He almost pushed Sirius forward, whose face by now spelled mortified, eyes wide and apologetic as he shot James a glare. He should not have helped this idiot's dog. 

"Alright," the man said, quite pleasantly, as if people randomly came and shouted at them to let other people audition. "What's your name, lad?"

"Er - Black," he said, still surprised, maybe James knew these people. "Sirius Black."

He stepped on the stage, turning in a slow circle and judging the lights and the pamphlet with various poses and expressions that the lady had given him.

James - the kid was insane, clearly - sat right in front the whole time, cheering him on, like they were best friends. Sirius couldn't help but like him and his cheery quirks - he had, after all, helped him with this.

"You're quite good, Mr. Black," the woman said, finally, smiling slightly. "But I need your full assurance that you will not be late if you're given the place - "

"Of course - " Sirius begins, before James cuts over him.

"It wasn't his fault," he said, as Sirius looked from the man to James, confused, yet again why his reasons would assure them better. "I can vouch for him. He was helping me. Snuffles fell in a man hole, near Diagon Alley."

Oh. Wait.

"Jamie, honey," the woman begins, and it strikes Sirius like lightning, as he ducks his head embarrassedly. "I told you to take Snuffles only to the park, why were you - "

Jamie. Right. That would make sense, he thought, suddenly seeing the obvious similarities between James and his - parents? 

"Oh, he fell in on the way back," James said petulantly, with an honest to goodness pout. "And Sirius took him out. He's a dog whisperer," he added in a whisper, laughing and passing Sirius a funny sorry-I-didn't-tell-you look.

Sirius just looks back, wondering what to do with his hands, and mouthing "asshole," to James, who returns it with a two fingered gesture and a smirk.

"Well, Sirius," the man said, finally. "We did have a few more people in mind, but since - well - "

"Oh, dear," the woman says sweetly. "What he means is, thank you for helping our incompetent son with problems that didn't concern you," she raises a hand to stop James's affronted protests as Sirius moves to tell her that it was nothing, "Come back tomorrow at nine in the morning, please. We'll detail you during the shoot itself."

And just like that, they get up and walk out, leaving Sirius with a beaming James, and a beagle covered in soil, who barks at Sirius till he's petted.

"Thanks, mate," he says, smiling too.

__


End file.
